Supreme Court copyright decision does not unleash a "free for all", says Access Copyright

Access Copyright, the Canadian copyright licensing agency, says while it is concerned about yesterday's Supreme Court decision about photocopying in elementary and secondary schools, the decision leaves blanket licensing of hard copy and digital materials in schools intact.

"The fact is the Supreme Court was only looking at about seven percent of the copying done in schools,” Maureen Cavan, Executive Director, Access Copyright, said in a statement emailed to media and posted on its website. "The decision absolutely does not mean a free-for-all on copyright-protected materials used in the classroom. On the contrary, it leaves copyright licensing in the education sector alive and well."

The Supreme Court decision did not pass judgement on whether the copying was "fair" under the terms of the Copyright Act, leaving that determination to the Copyright Board. By referring the case back to the board, the court left it to decide whether the ruling changes the terms of the tariff it granted to Access.